20 things worth buying from Wayfair's new store — and what a decor pro says to skip
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Wayfair is one of our favorite places to shop for furniture online, and its new large-format Atlanta store shows just how expansive its selection really is. Spanning more than 150,000 square feet, the space features 18 departments filled with everything from housewares and bedding to plumbing fixtures and major appliances. I visited the store right before it opened (grand opening festivities are April 17—19), and it's easy to spend hours exploring.
While Wayfair's online experience is convenient, seeing products in person offers a clearer sense of quality and scale. It also gave me a better understanding of what's worth buying from Wayfair and what to skip. Plus, prices are consistent across online and in-store shopping, so you're getting the same deals either way.
What to shop:
Outdoor furniture and decor
With warm weather days becoming the norm, my spring fever is running high. I'm loving the vast selection of outdoor items, including patio furniture, umbrellas, grills, and accessories. The store makes it easy to outfit your space with the staple pieces and easily add on the extras, like, entertaining serveware, grill tools, and other accessories, that could be overlooked when shopping online.
View all outdoor products at Wayfair
Worth a look:
Sofas
Buying a sofa online can feel daunting. Will it be comfortable? What is the scale? Is it durable? At the new Wayfair store, sofas are lined up in a sort of buffet, just waiting for a sit test. All price points are represented, with several options under $1,000 for those trying to stay on a budget. Even better, you can see what's on display before you even enter the store. I also noticed prominent attention to motion upholstery, and these aren't the massive 90's La-Z-Boys relegated to your husband's basement man cave, but sophisticated designs that blend comfort and design.
Worth a look:
Home improvement projects
Wayfair has the infrastructure for redesigning your entire bathroom or kitchen, including free design services (available both online and in-store) and the resources to connect you with professional installers. In addition to major appliances from top brands, you'll find vanities, tubs, tile, hardware, window treatments, and custom cabinetry. These options feel more like what you'd see in a specialty store, but at builder-grade prices. In the bathroom department, there's also a whole "Shower Experience" that lets you see how the water streams from the shower head while the kitchen projects area has numerous model kitchen installations to explore.
Shop all bathroom fixtures and kitchen fixtures at Wayfair
Worth a look:
Lighting
Lamps are another thing where the scale can vary widely, so it's nice to see what you're getting in person. In addition to tons of beautiful table and floor lamps that could be taken home right away, there were also gorgeous chandeliers, sconces, and pendant lights on view that didn't require a trip to a specialty lighting store. And some of these statement pieces were shockingly affordable, with many options under $100.
Worth a look:
Finishing accent pieces
Between the big-ticket items, Wayfair rounds out its selections with the pièce de résistance: A whimsical planter, a gorgeous mirror, and a cute throw pillow that you must simply add to cart. Vignettes at the store inspire shoppers to explore the space, while rotating displays group similarly themed and coordinating collections. However, online, Wayfair offers an AI-powered product discovery hub where you enter your desired search terms, and it generates completely shoppable images. There are also curated shopping pages like pastel decor or playful shapes.
Worth a look:
Wayfair Verified items
With millions of products on the website, it can be hard to gauge quality. Wayfair Verified status indicates an item has been vetted directly by Wayfair. In addition to signaling durability, they should be easy to assemble and have a high rating with a low return rate. You can easily browse these items online by looking for the Wayfair Verified badge. In-store, you can be confident that only the best of the best made it onto the sales floor.
Shop all Wayfair Verified products
Worth a look:
What I'd skip
Regular price cookware and small kitchen appliances
It was genuinely exciting to see that Wayfair carries brands not commonly found in brick-and-mortar stores, like Made In, Caraway, and Hestan, which gave me the chance to see and feel them in person. You can also take it home that day. However, this is an instance where, if you choose to shop directly on the brand's websites, you may find better discounts and return policies. For instance, Made In and Hestan have a 45-day return policy, while Caraway offers a 30-day trial. At Wayfair, you can't make a return if you use it.
I'd apply the same ethos to small kitchen appliances and run a quick Google search to make sure you're getting the best price, especially since these items can often be available across multiple retailers. Though, if you need it same day, the selection is undoubtedly robust.
Candles
I love a candle, especially smelling every single one in store. I've written a whole guide on my favorite candle brands. Unless you're picking up Wayfair's signature scent, the fact that you can hop over to HomeGoods or T.J. Maxx in the same shopping center to find popular scents for under $15 you're better off putting your focus on products that are already discounted. Maybe you'll impulsively pick up a candle at checkout that speaks to you, but there's so much else at the store to explore.
Decorative baskets
Wayfair dedicated serious real estate in the store to basket selections and I saw some beautiful shapes, but they were just too pricey for me to convince myself I needed them. I felt like I could have found comparable options at off-price retailers or thrifting.